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CNN Headline: Trump-Endorsed Candidate Defeats Incumbent Senator In Texas Runoff; Iran Warns Of Retaliation, Says U.S. Violated Ceasefire; At Least 1 Dead, 9 Missing After Chemical Tank Rupture At Washington Plant. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired May 27, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:30:00]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
At least one person has died and several are missing after a large chemical vat ruptured at a paper and packaging facility in Washington State. Rescue teams are working to stabilize the tank before they continue their recovery efforts.
And Iran is accusing the United States of violating the fragile ceasefire, threatening to retaliate after the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian ships around the Strait of Hormuz.
And back here at home Republican voters have spoken in Texas, nominating Ken Paxton, who was Donald Trump's pick, in Tuesday's runoff election. He is the controversial state attorney general. And this will end the decadeslong Senate career of Texas Republican John Cornyn who lost in a landslide, CNN projects.
Come November, Paxton will face the Democratic nominee James Talarico, which may add up to the most expensive Senate matchup ever.
CNN's Reed Benyon breaks it down for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEN PAXTON, (R) SENATE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE: Tonight we just sent a Texas-sized message to Washington.
REED BENYON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the state's Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff Tuesday.
PAXTON: I said it in March, and I'll say it again now, today change was on the ballot and change won.
BENYON (voiceover): Paxton speaking to supporters after defeating longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a landslide. His victory came after an eleventh hour endorsement from President Donald Trump. The president endorsing Paxton just one week before Tuesday's vote, propelling him to a win over Cornyn who previously got more votes than Paxton in the state's March 3 GOP primary. Paxton has weathered a long list of scandals which Cornyn slammed him for as recently as Tuesday before polls closed.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): He's gotten away with so much for so long. He is an embarrassment. The basic problem is you can't trust Ken Paxton.
BENYON (voiceover): Still, following his loss Cornyn said he respects the voters' decision and while not mentioning his rival by name said he will support the Republican nominee in the general election.
And despite the bitter campaign Paxton thanked Cornyn in his victory speech.
PAXTON: John has dedicated much of his life to serving Texas and for that spirit of service to the Lone Star State and our nation I'm very grateful.
BENYON (voiceover): Paxton now advances as the GOP nominee to face Democrat James Talarico in November in one of the country's highest profile U.S. Senate races.
I'm Reed Benyon reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Let's turn to the ongoing war with Iran. Iran is now accusing the U.S. of violating their ceasefire as the two sides to try work towards ending the war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is threatening to retaliate after the U.S. launched what it called self- defense strikes on Iranian missile sites and boats around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims the U.S. also breached its airspace and that its forces struck down a drone and opened fire on an F-35 jet and another drone.
As for the negotiations the Iranian government claims that the U.S. has been unreliable in those talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FATEMEH MOHAJERANI, IRANIAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON (through translator): It is not the first time we are witnessing these contradictions from the United States. In fact, one of the problems in our negotiations is the inconsistencies and contradictions in their behavior. This is not a new issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: President Trump is set to hold a cabinet meeting at the White House today with the war now at a critical juncture. A source telling CNN that all cabinet members are expected to attend.
We return to one of our back -- or top stories here as a chemical tank rupture on Tuesday left at least one person dead and nine injured at a paper and packaging facility in Washington State. Now, the death toll may rise here as fire crews say that nine people remain unaccounted for. CNN's Sherrell Hubbard has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN NEWSOURCE PACKAGE PRODUCER (voiceover): First responders rushed to the scene of a fatal implosion involving hazardous materials at a paper and packaging facility in Washington State.
MATT AMOS, BATTALION CHIEF, LONGVIEW FIRE DEPARTMENT: Emergency responders have confirmed that 10 individuals were transported to area hospitals. Eight were employee injuries and one was a firefighter injury, and we have one fatality. Officials can also confirm that there's currently nine employees who remain unaccounted for.
HUBBARD (voiceover): The implosion happened around 7:30 a.m. local time at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company facility in Longview, about 130 miles south of Seattle. Authorities say a 900,000-gallon tank ruptured. It contained so-called "white liquor," a chemical mixture used in the papermaking process.
Officials said they were in the recovery phase Tuesday afternoon with firefighters and a hazmat team on site, but by Tuesday evening they said ongoing safety concerns at the Longview facility have complicated recovery efforts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe that there could be a potential of 90,000 gallons remaining in that tank. The tank remains unstable, creating a dangerous situation for our personnel.
HUBBARD (voiceover): Authorities say crews are assessing the tank and are working towards stabilizing the tank before recovery efforts can proceed.
This is a tragic incident for our community. Our thoughts remain with the victims, their families, and co-workers, and everyone here who has been impacted by it.
[05:35:05]
HUBBARD (voiceover): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Sherrell.
The Supreme Court is clearing the way for a racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL. On Tuesday the justices rejected the league's bid to stop the case from moving forward in open court. Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores sued the NFL in 2022 claiming race played a role in his firing. The league wanted the dispute settled in a private arbitration, but an appeals court ruled that Commissioner Roger Goodell lacks the independence to oversee the process.
Flores is currently the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Two other Black coaches have joined in his lawsuit. Well, the Oklahoma City Thunder are now one win away from the NBA
Finals, taking a 3-2 lead over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals in the series of seven.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -- he led the way with 32 points in a 127-114 game-five win with Stephon Castle who paced the Spurs with 24. The winner will face the New York Knicks who already punched their ticket after sweeping Cleveland in the East.
Anne Hathaway is opening up publicly about a health crisis for the first time. "The Devil Wears Prada" star revealing on The New York Times popcast -- podcast that she was legally blind in one eye for a decade. Hathaway says that she had an early onset cataract from ages 30 to 40 and it wasn't until she had surgery that she realized just how bad it had gotten.
And beloved actress Julie Andrews just made a rare surprise appearance that's sweeter than a spoonful of sugar. The 90-year-old surprised attendees at a World Parkinson Congress event. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE ANDREWS, ACTRESS, SINGER: Good evening, everyone. I'm Julie Andrews and I'm pleased to welcome you to the 7th World Parkinsons Congress. Your participation is invaluable as we seek to find a cure to this terrible disease. I know well how devastating it can be. May we all become a beacon of light to stop it in its tracks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: And it looks like Robert Pattinson will face off with a familiar foe in next year's "The Batman" sequel. Oscar nominee Sebastian Stan telling Deadline that he'll play Batman antagonist Harvey Dent, better known as "Two-Face" in the movie. Stan says that the movie will start shooting in London later this year.
And Tommy Lee Jones and Aaron Eckhart have both played "Two Face" in previous Batman films. Warner Bros. Studios is making "The Batman: Part II," sharing the same parent company as CNN, Warner Bros. Discovery.
And listen up BTS fans. K-Pop superstars got something sweet coming out next week, limited edition Oreos. The cookie will feature a Hotteok-inspired sweet cream filling. That is South Korea's brown sugar stuffed pancake that BTS says they enjoyed as kids. And, of course, these Oreos are purple and the group's signature color is also purple.
Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a desperate mission to save seven people trapped in a cave. We'll hear from one of those rescue workers.
And NASA announces its new plans for a permanent base on the moon. Wait until you hear this.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:48:15]
SMITH: An inspirational story this morning as the "Boy in the Bunker" is graduating high school. Thirteen years ago, 5-year-old Ethan Turner was abducted and held in an underground bunker in rural Alabama for nearly a week. He was rescued and is now graduating from high school with a bright future ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This 5-year-old boy became known as the "Boy in the Bunker" whose kidnapping and rescue captivated the nation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have now learned more about that seven-day hostage standoff in Alabama. The 5-year-old boy, thank goodness, is OK after being rescued during a raid on that underground bunker where he was being held.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ethan Turner was abducted from his school bus in 2013 in rural Dale County, Alabama by Jimmy Lee Dykes who killed the bus driver and brought Turner to his underground bunker before he was rescued by FBI agents.
Thirteen years after his horrific ordeal, Ethan is now graduating high school.
ETHAN TURNER, GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL: It is a whole lot to me. I'm just really blessed to have family and friends and all that stuff.
NICCI TURNER, ETHAN'S MOTHER: What happens to you is not you. It doesn't define you and you don't have to be a victim. You can pick yourself up and keep going.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now 18 years old, Turner was adopted by Nicci and Brandon Turner, according to CNN affiliate WTVY. His family on hand as he graduated from Abbeville High School with two of his siblings, just 30 miles away from where he was held captive. Turner plans to attend Wallace Community College to study welding.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: New details are out about NASA's plan for a permanent moon base. Phase one involves sending robotic landers and drones to the lunar surface to help prepare for the astronauts. Now, phase two -- that starts in 2029. That's when NASA will starting building semipermanent facilities ahead of phase three when regular crew rotations will begin.
[05:45:10]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED ISAACMAN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: The moon base is as beautiful as it is hostile. In sunlight the surface can heat to over 250 degrees. In darkness it can drop well below minus-200. In the permanently shaded craters -- areas of great interest that have been untouched by sunlight for millions, even billions of years -- temperatures can fall well below minus-400 degrees. There is no atmosphere to moderate these extremes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: NASA also announced contracts to build lunar terrain vehicles as well as deal with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to deliver payloads to the moon.
And NASA will livestream a spacewalk outside the International Space Station today. Two Russian cosmonauts are set to install a solar radiation experiment and remove other science hardware. The spacewalk is expected to last about five hours.
Let's go around the globe to see what else is making headlines.
In Laos, weather conditions are getting worse as crews try to rescue seven people from a cave. The group has been trapped for a week, and cave divers are squeezing through these narrow, flooded corridors to try and reach them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKKO PASSI, TECHNICAL DIVE INSTRUCTOR, TECH DIVE ASIA: The visibility is zero, so making ground is a very slow process and we need to think about our safety as well. So we are 30 meters away from that chamber and are hoping that soon we will reach and find out if they are alive or if they've been there (PH).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The seven people were reportedly searching for gold before flash flooding blocked their exit. One rescuer says that it's possible that those stranded are sheltering in a dry section of the cave.
And Belgian police say that it's too early to determine whether a school bus driver intentionally drove through a closed railway barrier before being hit by a train on Tuesday. According to the rail operator footage shows that the barriers were down and the traffic lights were red when the incident happened. Officials say that the bus driver, an attendant, and two students were killed. Five other children are seriously injured. And the driver reportedly tested negative for drugs and alcohol and had no prior convictions.
And heavy rain triggered a flood warning in this town in China. Fast- moving water -- it caused this bridge that you're seeing here -- my goodness -- to collapse bringing that car down with it. Witnesses say that the car malfunctioned and was unable to reverse, but the people inside were able to get out before the car was swept away.
Now you've got take a look at this. It is the moment that dozens of drones start to fall from the sky over Sydney's Darling Harbour. It happened during the vivid Sydney Festival. Organizers blame what they call unforeseen technical difficulties and say that they've canceled two additional drone shows.
And Argentina has seized more than 700 marine animals in what authorities call a major wildlife trafficking case. They recovered the animals at the Buenos Aires Airport. Officials say that pufferfish, lionfish, starfish, and others were headed for the exotic pet trade. Many were already dead after days in transit.
And Air New Zealand is looking to revolutionize sleep comfort on long- haul economy flights. The airline plans to introduce bunk beds on some routes and CNN's Lilit Marcus got to try them out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LILIT MARCUS, CNN TRAVEL PRODUCER, CNN WORLDWIDE (voiceover): Flat in economy on long-haul flights? This airline is hoping to make that a reality with bunk beds.
I recently checked out Skynest, a beds-on-board concept rolled out by Air New Zealand for flights between Auckland and New York City.
MARCUS: Oh, this is cozy.
MARCUS (voiceover): Think of it as a compromise. Less expensive than business class lie-flat seats but more relaxing than regular economy seats. Six people can be in this nest at a time.
Still, it's not cheap. A session of four hours comes at a cost of $495, plus amenities like an eye mask and ear plugs.
Air New Zealand's CEO has said that the company wants to "lead in sleep. That's a necessity for the airline."
New Zealand's location means that a majority of their flights are long-hauls, so they have to really work hard to make passengers comfortable when they're spending so long in the sky.
Before this, the airline rolled out the Skycouch where three economy seats were combined into a bed. That idea was licensed by United so you might start seeing it in the U.S.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: All right -- searching for comfort in the skies there.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, CVS suing the state of Tennessee over one of its new laws that the company alleges will force dozens of pharmacies to close.
And here's something that you don't see every day in Texas, a runaway kangaroo. Oh, good luck catching that one.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:54:15]
SMITH: All right. In today's Money Express the FAA wants to fine Alaska Airlines a whopping $165,000 for allowing drunk people on flights. The agency claims that there were 11 flights between February 2024 and 2025 with intoxicated passengers, which is against federal regulations. Alaska Airlines has 30 days to respond after receiving the enforcement letter.
And CVS Health is suing Tennessee over a new law that could lead to the closure of all of its locations in the state once enacted.
Maribel Aber joins us from the NASDAQ MarketSite with that and the rest of your top money headlines. Maribel, what are we learning about this lawsuit?
[05:55:00]
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: So Brad, indeed, CVS suing Tennessee over this new law that it says will force dozens of pharmacies to close statewide. The measure bars companies from both providing prescription benefits and operating retail pharmacies. CVS owns Caremark, one of the country's largest prescription drug managers. Supporters say the new law reduces conflicts of interest and lowers drug costs. CVS warns it could shutter around 130 pharmacies and limit access to roughly 1.5 million people.
The FDA is sending warning letters to retailers selling nicotine and tobacco products aimed at kids and teens. Officials say the packaging closely resembles candy, breath mints, and cough drops. The letters are part of a broader crackdown on illegal imports and unauthorized products. Businesses that fail to remove the items could face legal action, fine, and inventory seizures.
OK, the U.S. Postal Service is bringing Mister Rogers back to your neighborhood. Americans were asked to vote on stamp designs as part of the country's 250th birthday celebration. After half a million votes, Mister Rogers won by a wide margin. Fred Rogers hosted his PBS children's show from 1968 to 2001. He was known for his storytelling and puppet friends like King Friday and Daniel the Tiger. The stamps go on sale June 1 while supplies last.
Won't you please be my neighbor, Brad?
SMITH: Oh, I certainly will. Mister Rogers, beloved by all and, of course, it's always a beautiful day in the neighborhood wherever he is.
Maribel Aber, thank you so much.
Authorities in Michigan say that they believe a fire that caused a massive home explosion is an attempted murder-suicide. That's where we start our check on stories making headlines across the country.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Ring camera showing home explosion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: A doorbell camera showing that strong blast. Authorities say a man intentionally set that fire and they say that they found an unidentified body inside the house, and they think it was the man. Now, neighbors managed to pull his wife from the burning house, according to investigators. She had serious injuries.
We take you now to Florida. That's where two people are recovering from minor injuries after a boat crashed in Fort Lauderdale, and it was caught on camera.
Terrell Forney with WPLG has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TERRELL FORNEY, REPORTER, WPLG MIAMI (voiceover): Things are calm one second on this video but in the next chaos as a boat that appears to be making a U-turn speeds up and slams into another vessel, all before striking a dock and then hitting a second vessel and eventually coming to rest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we were right at the spot where the accident took place.
FORNEY (voiceover): Steve Messeay (PH) and his son were among the visitors who spent Sunday at the 15th Street Fisheries in Fort Lauderdale, narrowly missing the danger that evening. The collision happened at the marina right behind the popular restaurant.
Watch again. Upon impact, a man is thrown from the back of that other vessel onto the concrete.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We feel very fortunate that we had decided to leave about 10 minutes before that accident happened.
FORNEY (voiceover): You see families, even small children on the dock as the drama unfolds. The video from EarthCam captured the collisions and is likely now part of the investigation into what went wrong. But despite how jarring the images are, no one was seriously injured.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my goodness. Yeah, it's scary to think that, you know, a lot of people are there regularly. It could have been much worse.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Remarkable that there were no injuries -- and thankfully, there were none.
And we take you out to California. That's where a woman says that she was scammed out of thousands of dollars after believing that her daughter was kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. And it all started with a phone call from an unknown number.
According to Deborah Del Mastro, artificial intelligence was used to mimic the sound of her daughter's voice. She said she wired $5,400 to Mexico after following the caller's instructions for hours. Del Mastro believed that she would then find her daughter at a nearby grocery store. But when the 37-year-old did not show she called her daughter directly and learned it was all fake. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBORAH DEL MASTO, VICTIM OF SCAM: It was my daughter's voice. Having an absolute panic attack, trying to breathe, scared, telling me that, you know, I love you, mom. I'm so sorry. I'm so scared. And then they just cut it off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Police say that they are investigating but it's unlikely that Del Mastro will get her money back.
And look at this face. A lioness cub was born last month at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium to 9-year-old parents Hondo and Scarlett -- the first cub for both less than a year after Hondo arrived. Staff say that she's developing well and is expected to make her public debut in late summer. It sounds like I have some summer plans.
And we take you to Texas where this story could only Texas us the way Texas does. A kangaroo on the loose. Waco police officers -- because where else -- captured a kangaroo on Monday. He kept hopping away from the officers. And the kangaroo, named Bingus, was safely captured and returned to a local wildlife rescue after a short pursuit there.
[06:00:10]
My goodness, how fast do you need to run to catch a kangaroo? That's the big question.
Does it -- that does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
